“I gotta go to the Outhouse,” the Kid Brother says to his Older Brother, who was lying beside him in the bed. The two Brothers not only shared a bedroom but shared a bed.
And, to get outside, they had to go from their bedroom, through their parents’ bedroom, through the Living Room, and out the Front Door.
“You better be quiet,” the Older Brother says to his Kid Brother.
“I’m scared. I gotta go by Dad’s bed. I might wake and scare him,” the Kid says to the Older Brother.
“Yeah, I know. Can you hold it ’till mornin’?”
“No. I really can’t. I gotta go to the outhouse.”
Many families back then used outhouses. Only the kids on “Leave It To Beaver” had an indoor bathroom.
“Do this,” the older Brother says. “Take your boot and throw the boot into the room to wake Dad up. He’ll still wake up screaming, but he won’t attack you.”
“I feel bad for him.” The Kid Brother says.
“Yeah. It messed Dad up pretty bad.” The Older Brother says.
“Come with me, please.”
“Okay. Hopefully, it won’t be that bad this time.”
The Kid Brother gets the biggest boot he can find. “Let’s go together.”
“Okay.” says the Oldest.
“Throw it into his room on the count of three.” He says to his Kid Brother.
“Okay. One, Two, Three… Three and a half…”
“Throw it,” The Oldest whispers to the youngest.
The Kid tosses the boot into the room, and the boot lands right on the bed. He was trying to get the boot to land on the floor.
“Oh no!” The Kid whispers.
“Ahhh! Get down, Rogers! Thompson! Thompson! Where’s Thompson?” The Father screams.
The Kids scream from the doorway, “Dad! Dad! You’re at home, Dad! It’s us, your Family, Dad.”
“Thompson’s dead,” the Father says, as he begins weeping.
The Kids know from experience that it’s now safe to go in and wrap their arms around their Father.
“Dad, it’s okay. It’s okay, Dad. We’re here. We love you.” The Kids say to their Father.
Shaking, the Father says, “I’m so…sorry, Children. I’m sorry. It’ll be okay. It’s just going to take some time. I love you kids, too.”
The kids continue hugging their Dad.
“One day, kids, I want to tell you about Thompson.”
“Shell Shock” or “Combat Fatigue” is what Psychiatrists called it after World War II.
There was no PTSD at that time.
Thank a Veteran today.
They’ll appreciate it.
